America’s employers likely delivered another month of robust hiring in April, reinforcing the economy’s steady rebound from the pandemic recession. Economists forecast that the nation added 975,000 jobs last month after adding 916,000 in March, and that the unemployment rate slipped from 6% to 5.8%. The size of such job gains was essentially unheard-of before the pandemic.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is calling for Washington to immediately stop paying out-of-work Americans an extra $300 a week in unemployment benefits, saying the boost in government aid is giving some recipients less incentive to look for work. The business group says the supplemental unemployment benefit results in about one in four recipients taking home more in unemployment pay than they earned when they were employed.
U.S. productivity posted a sharp rebound in the January-March quarter after having fallen in the previous quarter. Labor costs declined slightly. The Labor Department reports that productivity increased at an annual rate of 5.4% in the first quarter, recovering from a 3.8% rate of decline in the fourth quarter of last year.
Mortgage rates fell slightly this week, marking their third straight week below 3% amid signs of the recovering economy’s strength. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reports that the average for the benchmark 30-year home-loan rate eased to 2.96% from 2.98% last week. At this time last year, the long-term rate was 3.26%.
The Labor Market Information Center has released annual 2020 employment and wages by industry. North Dakota employment declined by 6.3 percent compared to 2019 – a decrease of 26,784 jobs. Average weekly wages for 2020 were $1,066, higher by 2.5 percent from the prior year. Of the 20 major industry categories, the largest employment decreases occurred in Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction (-6,226), Accommodation and Food Services (-5,339), and Construction (-2,584). Only two industries reported year-over-year job increases: Management of Companies and Enterprises (+240) and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (+211).
A $1.4 million dollar expansion plan is in the works for a street sweeping manufacturer located in the Grand Forks Industrial Park. The Jobs Development Authority has approved a $148,773 PACE loan to buy down interest on the bank loan. ODRA LLC plans to construct a 17,000 square foot addition to warehousing space to accommodate anticipated growth. The move will also create a couple of new jobs.
The Grand Forks P & Z has approved a conditional use permit allowing a large animal vet clinic on the city’s north side. All Pets Hospital applied for the CUP for its site at 5030 Gateway Drive. The action does not allow for the boarding of animals unless it is an emergency situation. Right now large animal care is done through “house visits” which can become costly for both the vet and owner.
The code allowing painted murals on the sides of buildings in downtown Grand Forks has advanced through the Planning and Zoning Commission. The ordinance looks at everything from protecting the historic brick…to artist credits…and the mural application process. The city council will review the action on May 17th.
Gov. Doug Burgum has signed an executive order granting an hours of service waiver for drivers of commercial vehicles transporting anhydrous ammonia and other fertilizers. Waiving the hours of service requirements will ensure that haulers can deliver greater volumes of fertilizer in shorter periods of time to meet producers’ needs and enable the completion of crop planting and other work. The waiver will remain in effect through May 31.
The North Dakota Industrial Commission (Commission) has awarded $719,129 in Renewable Energy Program matching funds for two projects that enhance renewable energy.
Awardee: UND Institute for Energy Studies to research technology that is designed to maintain lubricant cleanliness on wind turbines.
Amount Awarded: $286,234
Total Project Costs: $584,614
Awardee: UND College of Engineering & Mines will lead a consortium of geothermal, oil and gas, and electric power industry professionals to advance the assessment and development of geothermal resources in North Dakota by conversion of non-economic oil and gas wells to geothermal applications.
Amount Awarded: $432,895
Total Project Costs: $865,791
North Dakota has unveiled a new Road Trip Guide for tourists coming to the state. In addition to providing the best routes linking cities, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, historic attractions, the great outdoors and more. Scan smart codes throughout the guide to find more information online. There is also a new North Dakota Road Trip playlist filled with hits from North Dakota artists, performers coming to concert venues to set the tone at https://belegendary.link/NDRoadTripPlaylist.
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